title: Moral sensitivity and critical thinking disposition of nursing students in Korea.
abstract: This study aimed to examine the level of moral sensitivity and critical thinking disposition among baccalaureate nursing students in Korea. A convenience sample of 142 undergraduate nursing students was surveyed on moral sensitivity using the Korean version of the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire (K-MSQ) and on critical thinking disposition using the Critical Thinking Disposition Questionnaire (CTDQ). Data were collected from June 2009 to July 2010. Mean score was 2.83 out of 7 on the K-MSQ (relatively low) and 3.70 out of 5 on the CTDQ (relatively high), indicating the need for nursing educators to continue to develop and incorporate strategies that enhance moral sensitivity into ethics courses in undergraduate nursing programs in Korea. Nursing students who regarded nursing as a lifelong career exhibited stronger critical thinking disposition than did students who considered nursing to be a temporary or premarital job. Moral sensitivity should be further emphasized in nursing ethics courses in undergraduate nursing programs in Korea.
authors.affiliation: The Catholic University of Korea, College of Nursing, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Hye-A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Yeom
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009014:Morals; D056910:Republic of Korea; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013850:Thinking; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Korea; moral sensitivity; nursing education; nursing ethics; nursing students